Hotel, cottages and shoreline make for a memorable spot—Chelsea Conroy, Concord Monitor, August 23, 2007 (posted with permission of the Monitor)

(Photo: Lori Duff) “Tradition is king on Star Island, and a day trip there offers a peek into a time when sprawling wooden hotels were common vacation spots, the staff put on weekly variety shows (think Dirty Dancing – the original) and guests played Bocce ball on the grass. Day visitors can lunch with conference attendees who fill the hotel, take a tour of the 46-acre island with a pelican or retreat to the solitude of the rocks on the back of the island, looking out to the open ocean.”

Tradition continues for families who make Shoals visit—Karen Dandurant, Portsmouth Herald, August 20, 2007 (posted with permission of the Herald)

(Photo: Karen Dandurant) “Some are drawn back to the island for its serene setting and old-time feel encouraged by the presence of historic buildings and the absence of modern-day appliances. One of Star Island’s most prominent features is the chapel, a simple stone meetinghouse built in 1800 on the highest point of land. Others are attracted to the companionship of friends and family who return each year, and the time-honored lobster dinners and weekly softball games featuring a cemetery in left field and a newly constructed green monster.”

Our Mission

Our mission since 1915 is to hold and maintain Star Island and such other property as the Corporation may hold or acquire, as a center for religious, education, and kindred purposes consistent with the principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.

Our Vision

Our vision is to create on Star Island an environment that frees all who come to renew spiritually, explore matters of consequence, and gain knowledge about the world as it might ideally be.